FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA | IMPACT REPORT …

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FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA | IMPACT REPORT 2020

THE YEAR 2020 IS ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS. A GLOBAL PANDEMIC VIVIDLY REMINDED US OF HOW CLOSELY OUR HEALTH IS TIED TO NATURE’S.

Nature also proved our refuge. The sale of boats, bicycles, fishing licenses, and camping and hiking gear all surged in 2020. A record 10 million people walked Florida’s greenways and trails.

CONTENTS3 WHO WE ARE

7 WHAT WE DO

37 LEAVE A WILD LEGACY

43 OUR SUPPORTERS

49 AWARDS

51 FINANCES

The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida played its part, with continued strong support for coral reef restoration, endangered species conservation, outdoor youth education, hunting and fishing programs, and land protection.

If you are a Foundation supporter, thank you! Our success is your success. If you are new to us, please consider joining our work at wildlifeflorida.org. Together we can ensure Florida remains a place of clean air, clean water, vast beauty, and abundant wildlife.

Cover: A little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) fishes for its dinner in a coastal wetland.

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Conservation is a team sport. No single organization, no matter how large and well-funded, can hope to accomplish much in conservation without the help of many others, including the communities in which conservation happens.

I was reminded of that throughout the past year. In March, we and several other organizations opened the first facility created specifically to hold corals rescued from stony coral tissue loss disease (see page 22). Late in the year, we partnered with the University of Florida and Ducks Unlimited (DU) to help the DeLuca family donate a stunning 27,000-acre property in the Everglades headwaters in Osceola County. The $200,000 we pledged to the project is enough to endow DU’s permanent conservation easement over the land and to provide funds to manage the many rare and notable species and habitats found there. Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, our partner in many conservation efforts, led the way with a $100,000 gift, which customers nationwide support by rounding up the cost of their purchases to the next dollar. And Marty and Daphne Wood, whom we profile on page 32, also contributed generously to the effort.

Ultimately our greatest partner is YOU. Without your support, we could do little. So whether your passion runs to panthers, pompano, or points between, partnering with us provides an opportunity to make a difference in the natural world, and to open a child’s eyes to that wonder.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR EMERITUS As outgoing Chair, I wanted to express my gratitude for your help not only during the past year, but my entire tenure. One of my main passions at the Foundation will continue to be introducing the next generation to outdoor recreation.

Despite the uptick in outdoor activity in 2020, we remain concerned about the decline in America’s hunters and outdoor recreation generally. Excise taxes on hunting and fishing gear pay for the great majority of state wildlife programs across this country, and those revenues are in jeopardy as fewer and fewer people buy hunting licenses. We’re working closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to attract new generations to hunting, and we donate more than $250,000 a year for game management and to encourage women, returning veterans, and many others to take up archery, hunting, and competitive shooting sports. In the same spirit, we remain Florida’s largest private funder of outdoor camps and programs for youth.

I look forward to growing this work in my new role, and to preserving our outdoor heritage for future generations.

AS CHAIRMAN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR YOUR SUPPORT DURING A MOST

CHALLENGING YEAR. DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, WE CONTINUED TO ADVANCE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND CONSERVATION IN 2020, RAISING AND DISTRIBUTING $6 MILLION FOR A VARIETY OF CAUSES.

The following pages outline our progress on a range of conservation and outdoor recreation programs. These include adding 587 acres to the Apalachicola Wildlife and Environmental Area, reestablishing native mussels in Collier County’s Lake Trafford, funding research into a mysterious condition afflicting some bobcats and Florida panthers, and finding a way for kids to safely attend summer camps. In hard times, it’s easy to lose sight of the quiet successes on which our continued quality of life depends. Some of those successes are outlined in this report, and we thank you helping make them happen. Together we are a force for nature.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN

Richard A. Corbett Chair Emeritus

Carlos AlfonsoChair

Andrew WalkerPresident & CEO

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THE FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA IS DEDICATED TO CONSERVING FLORIDA’S ICONIC WILDLIFE AND THE LANDS AND WATERS THEY NEED TO SURVIVE. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION (FWC), FOR WHICH WE ARE A CITIZENS SUPPORT ORGANIZATION, AND ITS MANY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS. SINCE 1994, WE HAVE RAISED $50 MILLION FOR CONSERVATION AND YOUTH OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND RECREATION.

OUR MISSION

4WHO WE ARE

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADVISORS

CHAIR EMERITUSRichard A. Corbett Tampa

CHAIR Carlos J. Alfonso Tampa

TREASURER Kathy Barco Jacksonville

SECRETARYConnie Parker Tampa

FWC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOREric Sutton Tallahassee

VICE-CHAIRPreston L. FarriorTampa

Paul E. AveryTampa

Seth D. McKeel Jr.Lakeland

Robert A. Spottswood, Jr. Key West

Francisco Bergaz Miami

Jerry PatePensacola

Steve SwindalTampa

Ignacio BorbollaCoral Gables

John PopeJacksonville

Daphne WoodMonticello

Steve CrisafulliMerritt Island

Adam PutnamBartow

Tucker FredericksonPalm Beach Gardens

Donna RawsonPensacola

Joshua Kellam Palm Beach Gardens

2ND VICE-CHAIRLaura RussellJupiter

John Lacy West Palm Beach

Bruce K. Popham El Prado, NM

C. Martin Wood IIIMonticello

E. Vann Middleton Thomasville, GA

Andrew WalkerPresident & CEO

Michelle Ashton Director of Communications

Will Bradford Chief Operating Officer

Danielle CummingsDirector of Institutional Giving

Stefani HarrisonMajor Gifts & Database Manager

Anita ForesterGrant Programs Administrator

Brandon HarrisBookkeeper

STAFF

FLORIDA SPRINGS GRANT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

HUNTING & SHOOTING SPORTS LICENSE PLATE GRANT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Kyle GrammaticaCommunications Intern

Tindl Rainey FWC Liaison to Foundation

Brian G. KatzCitizen Representative

Annette LongCitizen Representative

Celeste Lyon FL Dept. of Environmental Protection

Newton CookUnited Waterfowlers Florida

Tom KnightNational Rifle Association

Jim McClellanCitizen Representative

Dan Pennington Citizen Representative

Barbara Powell FL Dept. of Economic Opportunity

Dr. James “Buddy” PowellChair, Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute

Lane StephensChair, The Future of Hunting in Florida

George WarthenFWC

Dr. Eberhard RoederFL Dept. of Health

Kent SmithFWC

Jim StevensonHoward T. Odum Florida Springs Institute/Wakulla Springs Alliance

WHO WE ARE WHO WE ARE

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OUR INITIATIVESIN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH FWC, WE ARE DEDICATED TO CONSERVING WILD FLORIDA, BE IT ENHANCING OUR FISHERIES, SUPPORTING REHABILITATION OF INJURED WILDLIFE, PROTECTING NESTING COLONIES OF SHOREBIRDS, COMBATTING THE SPREAD OF BURMESE PYTHONS, OR PROVIDING CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED YOUTH. WE ARE FLORIDA’S COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR CONSERVATION, CONNECTING DONORS TO THE PROJECTS ABOUT WHICH THEY CARE MOST.

Each of these initiatives is outlined on the following pages.

CONSERVING WILDLIFE

RESTORING OUR REEFS

GETTING KIDS BACK TO NATURE

COMBATTING INVASIVES

PRESERVING OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGE

One way we fund these initiatives is via our specialty license plates: the “Wildlife Foundation of Florida” license plate that supports hunting, shooting sports, and management of habitat; the “Conserve Wildlife” plate that benefits endangered and other non-game species; and the “Protect Florida Springs” plate, which supports conservation of Florida’s world-renowned freshwater springs. We also receive a portion of the proceeds from the “Discover Florida’s Oceans” plate, which helps fund marine conservation and education programs.

Citizen input is an important part of our grant making. We are particularly indebted to the volunteer citizen committees that help review the many applications we receive for springs conservation, hunting and shooting sports programs, and game species management. Their input is invaluable in prioritizing the many laudable applications we receive.

In addition to being one of Florida’s largest private funders of freshwater springs conservation, these five initiatives drive much of our work:

WHAT WE DO

Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi)

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RAISED AND DONATED NEARLY

$50 MILLION TO HUNDREDS OF

CONSERVATION, OUTDOOR RECREATION, AND EDUCATION

PROJECTS SINCE 1994. HELPED CONSERVE

35,000 ACRES

OF CRITICAL WILDLIFE HABITAT IN 2020.

PRESERVED OUR STATE’S WILDLIFE, OUTDOOR

HERITAGE, SPRINGS, AND OCEANS THANKS TO OUR

51,902 SPECIALTY

PLATE HOLDERS.

TWO-THIRDS OF ALL WILD

FLORIDA GRASSHOPPER

SPARROWS FLEDGED IN 2020 CAME FROM NESTS

WITH AT LEAST ONE FOUNDATION-FUNDED, CAPTIVE-BRED PARENT.

AWARDED 15 GRANTS TOTALING $239,690

TO NINE ORGANIZATIONS FOR RESEARCH, EDUCATION,

AND RESTORATION OF FLORIDA’S FRESHWATER SPRINGS.

ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THIS

THANKS TO OUR OVER 110,000 SUPPORTERS,

INCLUDING YOU.

OUR IMPACT

99 WHAT WE DOWHAT WE DO

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Ensuring future generations can experience Florida in all its biological diversity is a priority for our Foundation. This includes using controlled burns and mechanical removal of vegetation to maximize the value of lands and waters for Florida wildlife and the people who enjoy them.

One long-term project is our work to save North America’s most endangered bird, the Florida grasshopper sparrow. We are a principal funder of White Oak Conservation’s grasshopper sparrow captive breeding program, which is revitalizing the sparrow’s wild population. Two-thirds of all wild sparrows fledged in 2020 came from nests in which at least one parent was a captive-reared and released bird. We thank our many donors from around the country who join us, FWC, White Oak Conservation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in securing the sparrow’s future.

Bill Cita has been an environmentalist for decades. He has always cared about the plight of endangered species and in 1982 became particularly interested in the thousands of sandhill cranes making a migratory rest stop

in the Platte River valley not far from his home in eastern Nebraska. He was an early supporter of the National Audubon Society’s Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon, NE, which provides front-row viewing for one of the great wildlife migrations on the planet. After reading about the plight of the Florida grasshopper sparrow, Bill was quick to act by becoming a donor

to the sparrow program. “I COULDN’T LIVE WITH MYSELF IF I DID NOTHING,” HE SAID. “I’M IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL.” Our great thanks to Bill and the many other people across the United States who are helping the sparrow.

For more information about our sparrow conservation work, visit wildlifeflorida.org or email the Foundation at [email protected].

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

WHAT WE DO | CONSERVING WILDLIFE

CONSERVING WILDLIFE

Red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus)

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The Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund expanded its commitment to Florida

conservation with two $100,000 grants in 2020. One grant funded restoration projects in the Everglades ecosystems, including growing and planting sponges in Florida Bay. As recently as the 1980s, Florida Bay held the greatest concentration of sponges in North America. But algae blooms and lack of sufficient freshwater from the Everglades contributed to the death of 95 percent of the Bay’s sponges. Without these sponges, Florida Bay cannot sustain its previous abundance of marine life. Projects underway in the Everglades are increasing the flow of clean, fresh water into the Bay, allowing FWC to begin

restoration of the sponge ecosystem. As a first step, FWC has grown 15,000 new sponges from cuttings of seven species and is planting them in four areas targeted for restoration. The Outdoor Fund grant will underwrite this work and help FWC grow and plant another 60,000 sponges. “We are proud to partner with the Foundation to advance these priority conservation efforts,” said Bob Ziehmer, President of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund.

“WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN BETTER ENSURE THE HEALTH OF FLORIDA’S AMAZING AND DIVERSE AQUATIC RESOURCES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.”

As previously mentioned, their second gift helped endow a permanent conservation easement over 27,000 acres of iconic prairie and wetlands habitat in the Everglades headwaters. Elisabeth DeLuca and her family, founders of the Subway restaurant chain, donated the land to the University of Florida (UF) and asked Ducks Unlimited

(DU) to hold the conservation easement in perpetuity. UF will use property as an agricultural and ecological research station for faculty and students. In addition to endowing annual monitoring of the easement, we will help support conservation of endangered species and their habitats. The second largest population of imperiled Florida grasshopper sparrows in the world are located there, as are populations of red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, and other notable animals and plants.


DONOR SPOTLIGHT


SO HOW DIVERSE IS FLORIDA?

At least 146 of our native animal species and 400 of our native plant species are state or globally threatened, endangered,

or of special concern.

57 2,800

15,000

280

89

1,000

140

species of mammals

native plant species

invertebrates

species of amphibians

species of reptiles

species of saltwater fish

species of freshwater fish

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT The Foundation is committed to conserving threatened gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) in Florida, often considered a keystone species for their considerable impacts on others in their habitats. Their populations have decreased across the state from increased land development. In response, we and FWC work with developers who pay for the relocation of tortoises to new territories, some of which are in the Apalachicola National Forest. The tortoises in Apalachicola are being studied to better understand how relocated tortoises fare over the long term.

Deluca landPhoto by: Becky Windsor

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2020

MEET THE NEW PLATEThe “Conserve Wildlife” plate has a new look. It still sports a Florida black bear, but in a new setting with other wildlife. We hope it proves another best seller and boosts revenues available for rare species conservation. We expect the plate to be available in spring 2021. Please check with your county tax collector or visit our website to learn when and how to purchase Florida’s newest license plate design.

SEEKING CLUES TO A MYSTERY ILLNESS

CONSERVE WILDLIFE PLATE

2021CONSERVE WILDLIFE PLATE


NAME LOCATION ORGANIZATION AMOUNTTraining FWC personnel in non-lethal means of controlling problem bears

Ocala Youth Conservation Center

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $27,750.00

Assessment of the epidemiology of a neuromuscular disorder impacting bobcats and the endangered Florida panther Statewide Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission $150,000.00

Support for captive breeding of endangered Florida grasshopper sparrows

White Oak Conservation: Yulee, FL


Effects of outreach messages on landowner attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to Florida's WMA's

47 Wildlife Management Areas Statewide


Mussel Community and Water Quality Restoration in Lake Trafford Lake Trafford: Corkskrew, FL Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation


Apalachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance, Wetland Ecosystem Support Team Apalachicola National Forest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation


Implementing Predation Management for the Protection of Imperiled Beach Nesting Birds in Northeast Florida Northeast Florida Shoreline Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation


Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail - Guide Development and Distribution Statewide Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation


Investigating potential tropicalization of fishes and their cleaning stations found along hardbottom ledges of the West Florida

West Florida Shelf, Gulf of Mexico


Adult movement, pupae fire survival, and caterpillar identification of the frosted elfin (Callophrys irus) butterfly Apalachicola National Forest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation


TOTAL $535,284.80

“CONSERVE WILDLIFE” GRANTS

“CONSERVE WILDLIFE” PLATE

Part of our funding for conserving Florida’s iconic species comes from our “Conserve Wildlife” specialty license plate. Each plate sale generates $25/year for our work, and in 2020, our Board of Directors approved ten grants totaling $535,284 for nongame species conservation. These grants are made to FWC or its partners.

Biologists first spotted Florida panthers and bobcats behaving strangely in 2018 near Corkscrew Swamp in Collier County. The animals were walking oddly, apparently unable to control their hind legs. Now known as feline leukomyelopathy (FLM), the condition impairs walking and running, limiting the animals’ ability to hunt. Extreme cases have led to the animal’s death. The Foundation donated $150,000 in 2020 to FWC to research the debilitating neuromuscular disorder’s cause. Whether FLM is caused by a virus, bacteria, toxin, or is a nutritional problem is yet to be determined. It has the potential to jeopardize the conservation successes achieved for the endangered Florida panther. As of September 2020, there have been 10 confirmed cases and 32 probable cases.


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“PROTECT FLORIDA SPRINGS” GRANTSMany of Florida’s 700+ freshwater springs have been degraded in recent decades by excessive nutrients, invasive non-native aquatic plants, and other stresses. The protection and restoration of Florida’s springs, on which so much of the state’s aquatic diversity depends, is an ongoing, critical priority. In 2020, with input from our springs citizens advisory committee (see page 6), we awarded 15 grants totaling $239,690 to nine organizations for research, education, and restoration of Florida’s freshwater springs.

NAME LOCATION ORGANIZATION AMOUNTAll Accessible Glass Bottom Boat for Silver Springs State Park Silver Springs State Park Florida State Parks Foundation $20,000

Simple Things For Our Springs Phase II Statewide Alachua Conservation Trust $10,000

Springs Protection Behavior Change Videos Statewide Alachua County $12,000

Ecological Health Assessment at Seven Outstanding Florida Springs on the Suwannee River North Central Florida Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute $40,000

Western Panhandle SPRINGSWATCH Vortex, Ponce de Leon, and Morrison Springs Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute $10,200

Creating a Better Santa Fe BMAP Santa Fe River Basin Florida Springs Council $4,940

The Story of Florida Water: A permanent exhibition at the state's natural history museum University of Florida University of Florida Foundation/Florida

Museum of Natural History $20,000

Interactive Florida Springs Atlas Statewide Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute $10,000

‘Healthy Underwater Forest’ signage at Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park Blue Springs State Park Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute $3,500

Florida Springs Summit 2021 Statewide Florida Springs Council $9,000

Jackson Blue Springswatch Jackson Blue Springs Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute $10,200

Santa Fe River Springs Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Project Santa Fe River Springs Alachua County Environmental

Protection Department $14,000

Year II: Evaluation of Thermal Refuge Habitat for Fish in Springs of the Lower Suwannee River

Springs of the Lower Suwannee River University of Florida $35,880

Determining Habitat Preference, Seasonal Use Trends and the Resighting Frequency of Manatees in the Silver River Silver River Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research

Institute $16,351

Assessing Manatee Use of Regional Springs and Habitat Selection Utilizing GPS Telemetry in the Ocklawaha River System

Ocklawaha River System Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute $23,619

Total $239,690

“PROTECT FLORIDA SPRINGS” GRANTS

WHAT WE DO | CONSERVING WILDLIFE WHAT WE DO | CONSERVING WILDLIFE

MANATEE MYSTERYDespite their popularity, Florida manatees’ movements remain a mystery, especially in the Ocklawaha and Silver rivers. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute (CMARI) is working on answers, thanks to two Foundation grants totaling $39,970. The threatened Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is extremely sensitive to cold water and depends on springs and manmade warm water for survival during the winter when ocean temperatures fall. Beyond our general understanding of manatees’ winter use of natural springs, our understanding of their travel and habitat needs within spring-fed rivers like the Silver and Ocklawaha falls short.

To close the knowledge gap, CMARI will conduct two projects with Foundation funding. One project takes a macro view by surveying the Silver River biweekly for a year. The study will provide trends on manatee behavior, habitat use, and human interaction. The second project uses a micro approach, tagging three manatees with satellite transmitters to collect data on their movements, disclosing unknown feeding and resting locations, use of the river’s manmade lock systems, and human interaction. The data from both studies will identify the most important manatee habitats in these rivers and what, if any, restoration is needed in the Silver and Ocklawaha rivers.

2019

NOTES FROM THE FIELD2020 ALSO SAW INTERESTING RESULTS FROM PREVIOUS GRANTS.

TURTLES TRAVELDr. John Enz and graduate student Tabitha Hootman at Jacksonville University have found that Florida red-bellied cooters (Pseudemys nelson) and peninsula cooters (Pseudemys floridana peninsularis) in Wekiwa Springs travel a lot further than expected. Little was previously known about the movements of these two species. Enz and Hootman’s work shows cooters commonly travel up to six miles in a few weeks. One female went 22 miles. “People don’t usually think of turtles as having extensive natural ranges, but this study reaffirms that some species do,” said Enz. “This needs to be considered when protecting springs as natural ecosystems – their wildlife is intimately connected to the streams and rivers in the greater area.”

RESTORING MERMAID HABITATFor years, volunteers and staff at Weeki Wachee Springs have been combatting an invasive algae, genus Lyngbya, threatening to take over the world-famous springs. It has no nutritional value for wildlife and smothers eelgrass and other native vegetation. It can choke a spring, and for tourists, it’s lousy to look at.

The algae was being removed by underwater hand bagging — slow, difficult work. In October 2017, we awarded the Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park $40,000 to purchase a large vacuum system to remove Lyngbya thoroughly and efficiently. The device sucks algae up a 50-foot hose to a pontoon barge. This has accelerated Lyngbya removal, and the past buildup of algae throughout the main spring and adjacent swimming area has been eliminated. The vacuum system will be used to keep the springs virtually Lyngbya-free for fish and mermaids alike.


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RESTORING OUR REEFS Coral reefs are central to the health and diversity of our oceans. In addition to providing a home for a quarter of marine life, reefs regulate carbon dioxide levels in the water and prevent shoreline erosion by mitigating the effects of offshore currents and hurricanes. Florida’s Coral Reef, one of the longest in the world, runs from Martin County to the Dry Tortugas.

THE 360-MILE SYSTEM HAS SUFFERED MANY STRESSES IN RECENT YEARS, FROM EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE THAT CAN KILL CORAL, EXCESS SALINITY, INVASIVE LIONFISH, AND THE MASS DIE-OFF OF SEA URCHINS THAT KEEP THE REEF CLEAR OF ALGAE. In 2014 the worst threat yet appeared, stony coral tissue loss disease. It spread across the entire reef in five years, attacking 22 of the 45 species of stony corals. In many areas, mortality for some coral species approaches 100 percent. Once a coral is infected by this disease, the entire colony dies within a few weeks.

The severity of this situation has prompted innovative partnerships to save what is left of Florida’s healthy coral stocks. Nearly 2,000 healthy stony corals have been rescued in advance of the disease and are being held in 20 facilities in 14 states, including one we have established in Florida with funding and in-kind support from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, the Edith and Curtis Munson Foundation, and several of Florida’s largest corporations.

IN COMING MONTHS, OUR FOUNDATION WILL ENGAGE PARTNERS IN THE STUDY OF “CORAL CONNECTIVITY” — HOW CLOSELY TO SPACE CORALS ON A RESTORED REEF TO ENSURE NATURAL REPRODUCTION.

WHAT WE DO | RESTORING OUR REEFS

Balloonfish(Diodon holocanthus)

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FLORIDA CORALS ACROSS AMERICA

Thanks to support from the Foundation, the Association of Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) and its accredited facilities are housing corals rescued from Florida’s Coral Reef. Since March 2019, nearly 2,000 corals have been placed in 20 AZA-accredited facilities across 14 states and 51 additional facilities are supporting our efforts to protect healthy corals. These corals are not only being kept out of harm’s way, but they are acting as educational tools to teach visitors about the stresses afflicting the reefs. Beth Firchau of AZA has coordinated this work with financial support from our Foundation. “Collaboration has been a key to the success of this nationwide response. The AZA and its accredited facilities are incredibly grateful for the Foundation’s support and partnership to bring hope to Florida’s coral reefs,” said Firchau.

NAME LOCATION ORGANIZATION AMOUNTEquipment and operation of the Florida Coral Reef Center Orlando Multiple $33,982

Impact of Rising Sea Levels on Wildlife Species and Habitats in Florida Keys Florida Keys FWC $30,200

Association of Zoos and Aquariums Coral Husbandry Audit Silver Spring, MA AZA $750

TOTAL $64,932

“DISCOVER FLORIDA’S OCEANS” GRANTS

One of the most exciting advances in 2020 was our partnership with the Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel to create a new, perennial fund for coral reef conservation and restoration. Proposed by FWC Commissioner

Robert A. Spottswood Sr., the Florida Keys Coral Reef Conservation Fund will boost reef restoration efforts via agreements with tourism businesses throughout south Florida.

Spottswood Companies’ Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel is our inaugural partner; each Beachside guest is asked to add a dollar to his or her hotel bill to be donated to the Fund. Virtually all guests are happy to help conserve our reefs. “ Our Key West property has supported various environmental and community endeavors in the Florida Keys since opening in 2007,” said Spottswood. “ There is no more important conservation issue facing Florida today than taking care of our environment and recovery of the coral reef.”

DONOR SPOTLIGHTWe hope to sign up 35 companies over the next 18 months, generating a projected $1 million a year for the reef. Foundation President & CEO Andrew Walker said the Board and staff are delighted by this idea and the generosity of the Spottswood family. “ We look forward to signing up other hotels, dive shops, marinas, and businesses in reaching our goal,” he added.

“DISCOVER FLORIDA’S OCEANS” GRANTSOur Foundation receives a portion of proceeds from the “Discover Florida’s Oceans” license plate, which is administered by the nonprofit Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. Funds from the sale of this plate contributed to the $302,000 the Foundation committed to reef conservation in 2020.

WHAT WE DO | RESTORING OUR REEFS

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RECONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE “Nature-Deficit Disorder” — the lack of quality outdoor play — is a serious problem in the United States, Western Europe, and beyond. The average child’s physical world is only half as large as it was 15 years ago, and in a typical week most children and teens spend a staggering 53 hours on electronic media. Only six percent of American nine- to 13-year-olds, in fact, regularly play outside on their own. Yet 90 percent of youth say if a friend got interested in fishing, camping, or other outdoor activities, they would too.

Our Foundation is attempting to meet this challenge in Florida. We’re the state’s largest private funder of outdoor education and recreation programs for children and teens, supporting FWC and some 350 partner organizations providing transformative outdoor experiences annually to more than 284,000 Florida youth.

It clearly pays. The physical, mental, and emotional benefits of time outdoors are well documented. Children and teens who spend significant time in nature more effectively cope with stress, anger, depression, hyperactivity, and feelings of aggression. Camp experiences have been shown to improve interpersonal

and problem-solving skills. ABOVE ALL, OUTDOOR EDUCATION TEACHES CHILDREN THAT NATURE IS ALWAYS THERE FOR THEM AS A REFUGE AND AS SOMETHING WORTH PROTECTING.

In the coming year, we will be working with FWC’s Florida Youth Conservation Center Network on a vision and plan for taking this nation-leading program to new levels of impact and effectiveness.

The Mosaic Company is helping keep kids afloat! Thanks to their support, children at FWC’s Suncoast Youth Conservation

Center in Apollo Beach recently received a new fleet of kayaks to explore Tampa Bay’s rich Gulf Coast ecosystem. Suncoast annually provides thousands of children opportunities to paddle, fish, and study the region’s coastal ecology, and its equipment

showed their loving use. “WE’RE VERY EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE FOUNDATION AND FWC,” SAID CALLIE NESLUND, MOSAIC’S DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. “TOGETHER WE’RE BETTER AND THAT’S ESPECIALLY TRUE WORKING ALONGSIDE THESE PARTNERS.”

The Suncoast Youth Conservation Center is located on Tampa Electric Company’s (TECO) 20-acre Center for Conservation campus, which includes an FWC fish hatchery and the Florida Aquarium’s coral propagation and sea turtle rehabilitation facilities. TECO has invested millions in creating the campus, which will become an increasingly important marine conservation, education, and research hub as new facilities are added.

In 2020 Mosaic also funded research into a disease affecting Florida panthers, thermal imaging cameras for Florida bonneted bats, and the eradication of invasive plants.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

WHAT WE DO | RECONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE

Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)

®

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PIVOTING FOR KIDS IN A PANDEMICSuncoast Youth Conservation Center was ready to host their highest number of children and teens in 2020; they had recently opened their new boardwalk and pier for science experiments and fishing. The Foundation contributed more than $300,000 toward the project along with in-kind support from the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance and Ben Hur Construction. But like most plans in 2020, Suncoast had to pivot to serve children safely.

They were unable to hold summer camps, but still served over 750 youth thanks to creatively using virtual events and video production. And with fewer kids on site, they were able to finish several projects by November, including new signage, a freshwater turtle habitat, and several garden with native plants selected for pollinators. The year ended with a socially distanced family fishing clinic in celebration of FYCCN’s 10th birthday. “COVID put a severe damper on all

programming this year but we were able to keep the doors open and still serve hundreds of youth,” said Center Director Dr. Kathy Guindon. “We’re looking forward to 2021 bringing more fishing fun for everyone!”

The Everglades Youth Conservation Camp also had to adapt to a completely new world. In March 2020 Camp Director Janice Kerber walked the property with her Assistant Director Devyn Higgs to decide how they could safely host hundreds of kids and 46 young adult staff members. They decided residential camps weren’t possible, but committed to week-long day camps to give kids a chance to play outside with others after being cooped up for three months. The staff completed a month-long training session in June to incorporate COVID safety procedures, like disinfecting surfaces on canoes without harming the water, doing oxygen readings and

checking for sounds of chest congestion at drop off, and staying in groups of 10 staff and children to create camp “bubbles.” “The staff were happy to have a job and the kids were so thankful to be outside, we did not encounter any issues with keeping on masks, washing hands, and practicing social distancing,” said Kerber.

The camp was able to safely serve 260 kids total over four weeks without any COVID infections. “It was the most stressful summer of my decades running camps,” said Kerber. “But being able to not only give the kids and staff some normalcy, but seeing them have fun, was worth it. I’m especially proud of my young staff who took responsibility for the safety and fun of the kids. And we learned some lessons that will help us in future years even with full camps!” For more information on FWC youth camps, visit fyccn.org

27 WHAT WE DO | RECONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE

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COMBATTING INVASIVES With our subtropical climate, Florida is an unfortunately ideal place for many non-native species to become established.

THE SUNSHINE STATE IS PLAGUED BY MORE THAN 500 NON-NATIVE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES, A HANDFUL OF WHICH HAVE BECOME A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR OUR ICONIC ECOSYSTEMS, INCLUDING THE EVERGLADES AND FLORIDA’S CORAL REEF. The cost of managing Florida’s invasive plants alone is estimated at $100 million each year; the cost of invasive animal management is hundreds of millions. In 2020 the Foundation supported FWC and others in controlling Burmese pythons, lionfish, Brazilian pepper, Lyngbya algae (see page 19), and other invasives.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT THANKS AGAIN TO A GRANT FROM THE MOSAIC COMPANY, FWC IS REMOVING BRAZILIAN PEPPER AND OTHER INVASIVE PLANTS from a new 70-acre addition to the Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area east of Ft. Myers, a vast landscape of pine flatwoods and wetlands.

NOTES FROM THE FIELDHUNTING PYTHONS WITH SCIENCE AND SPEED In 2019 the Foundation made a $65,000 grant to the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, allowing them to double the size of their promising work radio tagging male pythons that lead to other snakes in the wild. 2020 was the most successful year yet; the Conservancy used radio tagging to remove 86 pythons with a combined weight of 3,000 pounds. 53 were females capable of breeding; some were pregnant and contained 2,500 developing eggs.

It began with Elvis – all 50 pounds of muscle and 11 feet of him. Conservancy biologist Ian Bartoszek first met Elvis in January 2013 on the swampy outskirts of Naples. Although not exactly the “Love Me Tender” type, Elvis became the Conservancy’s first scout snake, an unwitting spy that has led Bartoszek and other Conservancy biologists to many other pythons. These snakes were caught and humanely euthanized. “After we caught, tagged, and released him, he just took off into the brush,” said Bartoszek. “Elvis had truly left the building.”

Pythons in Florida

PYTHON BOWLWith Florida hosting the Super Bowl in 2020 and 2021, FWC’s annual Python Challenge got a new name in 2020: Python Bowl. The Foundation helped fund the event as in previous years. Participants competed to see who could capture the most Burmese pythons, as well as the longest and heaviest. The 10-day snake-snatching frenzy resulted in the removal of 80 pythons, one of them clocking in at a whopping 62 pounds.

WHAT WE DO | COMBATTING INVASIVES

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PRESERVING OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGEToo few Americans fully appreciate the importance of hunting and fishing to conservation. In 1937, a national coalition of hunters concerned about the long-term fate of America’s natural lands and wildlife supported passage of a federal tax on hunting gear to fund wildlife conservation at state and federal levels. Known as the Pittman-Robertson Act, this landmark legislation has generated more than $21 billion — yes, billion — for the conservation of wildlife and habitat across the United States. But the number of Americans who hunt has dropped sharply as older generations of hunters retire from the sport. Today five percent of Americans identify as hunters, half of what it was 50 year ago. In Florida the trend is even more dramatic, with only one percent holding hunting licenses. We’re working with FWC to attract a new generation of men and women to traditional outdoor recreation, from hunting and fishing to birding and boating.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Daphne and C. Martin “Marty” Wood III share a lifelong passion for traditional outdoor sports and are determined to pass it on to new generations. “He’d rather fish than breathe,” jokes Daphne. Their own early experiences at summer camps inspired the Woods to become long-time supporters of the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, including Everglades Youth Camp in Palm Beach County, the Tenoroc Youth Conservation Center in Lakeland, the Ocala Youth Conservation Center in the Ocala National Forest, Joe Budd Conservation Center near Tallahassee, and the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center near Tampa. The Woods have helped construct or renovate camp buildings, outfit camps with fishing gear, and much more. In fact, the Daphne Flowers Wood and Charles Martin Wood III Education Center at Tenoroc is named in their honor. They’ve also provided scholarships to children and teens from economically disadvantaged families.

“IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN TO HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES,” DAPHNE SAID. “YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT AND ADVOCATE FOR WHAT YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!”

WHAT WE DO | PRESERVING OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGE

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WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA GRANTS

NAME LOCATION ORGANIZATION AMOUNTOperation Outdoor Freedom Blackwater Food Plots Northwest Florida Operation Outdoor Freedom $5,000

Expanding Belmont Academy's Archery Program North central Florida Belmont Academy Charter School $1,250

Florida Frontiersmen Archery Big Game Southwest Florida Florida Frontiersmen Inc. $2,695

Ft. DeFuniak Archery and Conservation Center Northwest Florida Tri-State Christian Fellowship $14,070

Bowhunters Jamboree Range supplies Statewide Florida Bowhunters Association Inc $3,113

IACP — Inclusive Archery and Conservation Program Southwest Florida Lake Aurora Christian Assembly (Camp) $9,312

Lakeland Youth Hunter Education Challenge Muzzle Loading Matches and Hunts

Northeast, Southwest, and South Florida

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $2,900

FHF's 2021-22 New Hunters Program Northwest and North central Florida The Future of Hunting in Florida, Inc. $12,830

Expand Archery (w/ Social Distancing) North central Florida Eastside Elementary Bowbenders $2,300

Youth Dove, Quail, Squirrel,Turkey and Wild Hog Hunting Northwest Florida Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission $1,485

Introduction to youth archery competitive shooting Statewide Florida Bowhunters Association Inc $4,538

Archery Equipment Upgrades Southwest Florida Trinity Sportsman Ministries $13,220

7th Annual SEDHA Dog Days of Summer Field Trial & banquet

Northwest, Northeast, North central Florida South Eastern Dog Hunters Association $6,000

ALLOUT Adventure Program Statewide Florida Disabled Outdoors Association $20,000

2021 Rumble In The Swamp Youth Small Game Rabbit Hunt With Hounds and Skeet Shooting Outdoor Day Northwest Florida Southeastern Dog Hunters Association $4,000

Cloud Nine Outdoors 3R's Urban Hunting Program Southwest Florida CLOUD NINE OUTDOORS INC. $4,920

2021 Blackwater Fox Hunters Association Field Trial & Bench Show Statewide Blackwater Fox Hunters Association $5,000

3rd Annual Buck In Rut Youth Deer Hunt Northwest South Eastern Dog Hunters Association $2,000

Pasco County Expanded Archery Supplies Southwest Florida: Pasco County Pasco County Board of County Commissioners $4,578

Hunt 4 Halee Northwest Florida Seasons Of Hope Outdoors, Inc $3,000

Operation Outdoor Freedom - Blackwater female dorm construction Northwest Florida Operation Outdoor Freedom $26,700

Apalachicola National Forest Clean Up Day Northwest Florida Southeastern Dog Hunters Association $1,000

4-H Shotgun Shooting Sports North central Florida Alachua County 4-H $2,000

Quarterly Lake Clean Ups Northeast Florida Osceola Airboat Association, Inc. $1,000

TOTAL $152,911

WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA GRANTS

OLYMPIC-CALIBER SHOOTING RANGE NOW OPEN The Palm Beach County Shooting Sports Complex, one of the largest in the state, is now open with limited access to rifle and handgun ranges on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from 8am to 5pm by appointment only. This facility is operating at 50% capacity in early 2021 with a one-hour time limit per participant and only one person per lane due to the pandemic.

The complex helps meet the growing interest in target shooting. When fully complete, it will have an archery range, five rifle and handgun ranges, five Olympic (international) trap fields, six American trap fields, nine skeet fields, and a 14-station sporting clays course. Foundation Board members Tucker Frederickson and Laura Russell and Foundation Advisor John Lacy were successful in asking Palm Beach County for a $1 million matching grant to help FWC pave the road leading to the Complex, the Everglades Youth Conservation Camp, and the 60,000-acre J. W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area. The road will be paved in 2021.

“WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA” GRANTS

The “Wildlife Foundation of Florida” license plate, with its image of a deer, has become one of the most popular conservation plates in Florida. Proceeds from plate sales support the

management of deer, turkey, and other game species, as well as acquisition and stewardship of their habitats across the state. Plate funds are also used to increase public access to huntable lands, teach hunting safety, and introduce new audiences to archery and shooting.

Our Foundation, with input from our deer tag citizens advisory committee (see page 6), awarded 24 grants totaling $152,911 to 17 organizations.

WHAT WE DO | PRESERVING OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGE WHAT WE DO | PRESERVING OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGE

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FEMALE VETERANS FIND A NEW HOME IN THE OUTDOORS With women accounting for 10% of the United States’ military, veteran organizations are increasingly co-ed. Nonprofit Operation Outdoor Freedom (OOF), which helps wounded or disabled veterans reconnect with the outdoors through hunting, was rewarded a $26,700 grant from the Foundation to create a separate housing facility for female vets participating in OOF hunts. Once finished, the women’s dormitory in Blackwater River State Forest in Florida’s western panhandle will allow OOF to include more women in its programs. Previous Foundation grants to OOF at Blackwater helped create food plots for deer, turkey, migrating waterfowl, and other species.

HELPING THOSE IN NEED

The Foundation offers FWC support beyond conservation and outdoor recreation. Our FWC Employee Emergency Assistance Fund raises money for employees affected by natural disasters, like hurricanes. To date, we’ve raised $237,036 to FWC employees in need.

And we’re currently raising funds for a FWC Law Enforcement Memorial. FWC and its predecessor agencies have lost 20 officers to line of duty deaths. Over the last few years, FWC has worked with a sculptor and contractor to design a memorial at the Florida Public Safety Institute. We’re working to make their vision a reality.

For more information, please go to wildlifeflorida.org/fwc-law-enforcement-memorial.

WHAT WE DO | PRESERVING OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGE

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LIFE INSURANCE

POLICY Name the Foundation as a full, partial, or contingent beneficiary

of your policy.

WAYS OF

GIVING

ESTATE PLANName the Foundation in your estate plan. You can designate an amount

or a percentage of your estate. It has no impact on your current lifestyle and can be updated at any time. STOCK

Protect nature and save on taxes with a gift of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.

IRATaxpayers age 70-1/2 and older can

transfer up to $100,000 annually from their IRA accounts directly to

the Foundation without first having to recognize the distribution as income.

DONOR ADVISED FUND

Create a fund or utilize a donor-advised fund or field-of-interest-endowment to

maximize your conservation impact. We can help you decide which is right for you.

REAL ESTATELet us turn your real estate or other tangible assets into a gift for nature.

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY

We partner with the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay to

provide our supporters with CGA and charitable remainder trust and

charitable lead trust options.

LEAVE A WILD LEGACY

Sandhill cranes(Grus canadensis)

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You can leave a lasting, living legacy by naming the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida in your estate plans. Most of our planned giving supporters make unrestricted gifts that allow us to use their funds for our most pressing needs and opportunities. We are happy, however, to discuss specific wishes you may have for your gift.

Individuals making gifts via their estate plans are vital to our future effectiveness and are honored as members of the Foundation’s Conservation Legacy Society. If you plan to include the Foundation in your estate plans or already have done so, please let us know! Your information will be kept confidential unless you wish to be listed as a member. The Foundation always encourages donors to consult their financial and tax advisors before making a planned gift.

It’s also possible to create a donor-advised fund with the Foundation, or establish a charitable gift annuity or charitable lead or remainder trust with us.

LEAVE A WILD LEGACY

More information can be found at wildlifeflorida.org or by emailing or calling Foundation CEO Andrew Walker at [email protected] or 941.809.7805. All inquiries will be kept confidential.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY JOINED THE CONSERVATION LEGACY SOCIETY:

MR. MICHAEL M. & MRS. BARBARA COONEY

MR. JOHN & MRS. KIM DIEDE

MS. REBECCA FALMLEN

MS. MICHELLE J. PAVLICK

MS. ROBERTA A. SPEER

MR. & MRS. C. MARTIN WOOD III

CONSERVATION IS FOREVER. WE WANT TO PROTECT SPECIES AND HABITATS FOR THE LONG TERM, HELPING ENSURE FLORIDA REMAINS A PLACE OF OUTSTANDING BEAUTY AND DIVERSITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

Endangered Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)

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For more information about these funds and how to contribute to them, including via your estate plans, contact Director of Institutional Giving Danielle Cummings at [email protected].

THE CHILDREN AND NATURE ENDOWMENTRemembering future generations in your estate plans is easy via a gift to the Children and Nature Endowment, which supports outdoor youth programs throughout Florida. “We want to be sure Florida’s outstanding programs for children and teens are financially secure for generations to come,” says Foundation Board Chair Emeritus Dick Corbett. “There are so many kids from economically disadvantaged families that would never be able to attend outdoor camps without reliable year-to-year funding provided by the Foundation and this endowment.”

RARE PLANT CONSERVATION ENDOWMENT Rare plants account for nearly 15% of the state’s 2,864 native species, many of which can only be found in Florida. Some species have declined due to a long history of negative human impacts, while other species are rare due to biological constraints. Donate to our endowment to fund surveys, outplanting, reintroductions trials, and studies that help understand and improve knowledge of species biology, current distribution, and their present endangerment. Several important conservation projects are already underway, including the augmentation and introduction of Ziziphus celata; propagation, introduction, and habitat management of Torreya taxifolia; and reintroduction of Jacquemontia reclinata.

THE FLORIDA CONSERVATION ENDOWMENTThe Florida Conservation Endowment is our general endowment, used to support a portion of our operations and the many conservation programs and projects we operate or sponsor. This permanent fund, to which donors can contribute via outright or planned gifts like bequests, annuities, or trusts, will help ensure a predictable stream of revenue for our conservation programs far into the future.

WHETHER VIA A BEQUEST OR OUTRIGHT GIFT, PLEASE CONSIDER A CONTRIBUTION TO OUR THREE PERMANENT ENDOWMENTS BELOW.

LEAVE A WILD LEGACY

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THANK YOU!THE FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA IS ONLY AS STRONG AS YOU, OUR SUPPORTERS, MAKE US. WE WISH TO THANK THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS, CORPORATIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT MADE CHARITABLE GIFTS OF $100 OR MORE BETWEEN JULY 1, 2019 AND NOVEMBER 1, 2020.

To continue supporting us, please visit wildlifeflorida.org.

HAMMERHEAD SHARK SOCIETY ($100,000+)Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund+Mr. & Mrs. C. Martin Wood III+

FLORIDA BLACK BEAR CREW ($50,000-$99,999)Mr. Richard A. & Mrs. Cornelia C. Corbett+Mrs. Sonia & Mr. Paul T. Jones+Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel+Knopf Family FoundationMrs. Barbara and Mr. Jack Nicklaus+

MANATEE LEAGUE ($25,000-$49,999)The Barco Family Foundation+The Batchelor FoundationThe Curtis and Edith Munson FoundationMr. Mark Dalton+Florida Power & Light+Jane Smith Turner Foundation Merrill, A Bank of America Company, The Lacy Wealth Management Group+The Mosaic Company+Ximena Kavalekas, Inc.+

FLORIDA PANTHER PARTNER ($10,000-$24,999)Alfonso Architects+Allstate/Borbolla Insurance Agencies/ BIA & Company+Anonymous+Brandt Information Services+Cheney Brothers, Inc.+

Coastal Conservation Association+Dex Imaging+Felburn FoundationFerman Motor Car Company+Gilchrist Club+Helen and Vincent W Shiel Private Foundation IncHudson Family Foundation+Jerry Pate Company+Mr. Alan Maltz+Ocean Reef Conservation Association, Inc.Mr. Michel Sabourin+William Howard Flowers, Jr. Foundation, Inc.

ALLIGATOR AMBASSADOR ($5,000-$9,999)American Fisheries SocietyAmerican Sportfishing Association+Mrs. Suzanne & Mr. Paul Avery+Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Inc.Mr. Mark M. Barber, Esquire+Mrs. Peggy & Mr. Marc Bergeron+Bessemer Trust+Mr. Greg Coleman & Mr. Enrique Tomeu+CHAMPS Trade ShowsDeseret Cattle & Citrus+Ducks Unlimited+EDS Air Conditioning & Plumbing+The Ehrhart Family FoundationThe Everglades Foundation+Flor de Caña+Mrs. Laura & Mr. Preston FarriorMrs. Laurin & Mr. Rex Farrior+Florida Foundation for Responsible Angling/Fish Florida

Mr. Tucker Frederickson+The Garcia Companies+ George M. Baldwin FoundationGrant T Griffin EstateHedrick Brothers Construction+Mr. Leo Holt & Holt Logistics+Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!/Africa Maximum Safari+Lake County Board of CommissionersLoggerhead Marinelife Center+Loper Enterprises+Mrs. Ruth & Mr. Frederick Lynch+Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County+Marine Towing of Tampa, LLC+National Audubon SocietyNative Visions Galleries+Northern Trust+Ms. Connie S. Parker+Mr. John Pope+PricewaterhouseCoopers+Mr. Adam Putnam+Radiant Group, LLC+Mrs. Donna "Boo" & Mr. Cody Rawson+Restivo Monacelli LLP+The Southern Group+United Franchise Group+Valley National Bank+Ms. Nicole VoigtMr. Edward & Ms. Karen WahlMr. Jimmy Walker+Mr. Mike Walsh+White Oak Conservation+World of Beer+

*RECURRING DONORS +A NIGHT FOR NATURE DONORS OUR SUPPORTERS

TARPON SCHOOL ($1,000-$4,999)Benard Lewis Charitable FoundationThe Burton FoundationMr. Bruce & Mrs. Julie CartaMr. Bill & Mrs. Michelle CitaCritton, Luttier & Coleman LLP+Mr. Adam EckermanGiveWell Community FoundationThe GoodCoin FoundationMr. Thomas & Ms. Sally HillyerMs. Julee HuntMr. Thomas B. KiblerNAVICOThe Ocean FoundationPublix Super Markets CharitiesMs. Karen TischMr. Andrew Walker*Mr. Mark & Mrs. Rebecca Walsh+Ms. Linda Willis

OSCEOLA TURKEY ($500-$999)AnonymousMr. Jacob AhlersMr. Robert & Mrs. Ruth BenkerButterfly Conservatory of Tampa Bay, LLCMr. Chase CameronMr. Daniel E. DicksonMs. Margaret DuncanMr. Benjamin EassaMs. Irene Louis ElseMr. Tom Falone IVMs. Debbie FoxMr. Elliott GainersDr. Darin GoldmanMr. Andrew HammMr. Jody HanekeMs. Sara HendricksDr. Dale MerymanNational Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)Mr. Michael & Mrs. Nancy OhlendorfR.L.R. Investments, L.L.C.

Commissioner Sonya RoodMr. Forest & Ms. Stacey RothchildSiesta Harbor Fish ClubMr. Kevin J Smith*Ms. Susanna StephensMs. Candice Teichert*United Waterfowlers of Florida

GOPHER TORTOISE ($250-499)Ms. Jacqueline AlasimiMr. Jeff ArdeleanMs. Alexandra Brennan*Mr. Bernard Mac BrewerMr. John BurksMr. Grady M. CaffinMr. Joshua CarakerMr. Mark CassidyMs. Amanda ChesserCapt. Mark ClementsMr. Reinel De la RosaMr. Derick L. DriemeyerMr. Michael DunniganFidelity CharitableMs. Dianne Fleming*Mr. Aaron FranksMr. Wesley FurbayMr. Mario GomezMr. Dale R. HedrickMr. Paul HeinMr. Stuart Clay HesterMr. Blake HoelscherMr. William HolcombMr. Joshua HorstMr. Gregory HoyleMr. Dieter ItenMr. J. Blaine & Mrs. Jennifer JohnMr. Derrell JonesMs. Lulu LiMs. Caroline MakepeaceMr. Jaye McCollum*Mr. JJ Mueller & Ms. Gabrielle GallegosMr. Richard Obach

Mr. Jerry OkikawaMr. Josh OuelletteMs. Ashley Patterson*Mr. R PicerneMr. Kyle A. PlussaLt. Mattison ProwantMs. Tindl Rainey*Mr. Erik ReedMr. Joe & Ms. Sue ReinaMs. Angela Reynolds*Mr. Geoffrey RoepstorffMr. Ramon RosarioMr. Jay RusselLt. Pavilion "Pam" SteelmanMajor David L. StermenMr. William StifflerMr. Robert W. StoryMr. Scott SumpterMr. Eric SuttonMs. Rebecca TeemsMr. Randy P. VaughnMr. Patrick WalshMr. Wyatt WardMs. Bree Westbrook

FLORIDA BONNETED BAT ($100-$249)AnonymousMr. Harris AbramsonMs. Shanae AllenMr. Thomas AtwoodMs. Diane BardelasMr. Wes BrooksMr. Pedro CarrilloMs. Linda CarterMs. Deborah A. CaseMs. Barbara CasonMr. Marc CauchonM. Jean CharlesMr. Andrew CoxMs. Joyce & Mr. Thomas CundiffMs. Emily DavidsonMr. Ricky Day

Mr. Tyler DixMr. Thomas EasonMs. Catherine EtterleeMs. Mitzi EvansMs. Jennifer FitzwaterMs. A. ForesterMr. David FrankowskiMr. Jason GerardiMs. Rachel GilliamMr. James H. GrahamMs. Denise GriffingMr. Timothy HastyMr. Russell HegganMr. Diego HenriquezMs. Stacey HoffmanMr. Tom HufftDr. John & Mrs. Kathryn HuntMs. Mckenzie KeightleyMr. Antonio MaceoMr. Juan MartinezMr. Seth McKeelMs. Joan Mckniff*Mr. Robert MeaherMs. Ann MeglerMs. Alison MooneyMr. Andrew MouacdieMrs. Susan NeelMr. Brian T. O'ConnorMs. Michelle J. PavlickMr. Daniel PerezMr. Michael PolderMr. Thomas & Ms. Rose Marie PowellMs. Katy PratsMr. Jerry ReganMr. Thomas ReinertMs. Susan ReismanMr. Patrick ReynoldsMr. Terry Lee RidgwayMs. Liza RiveraMs. Kathleen RodriguesMr. Stephen RoeschMr. Harry B. Rogers Jr.Mr. Jeffrey Roman

Ms. Evelio RubiellaMr. Alexander Rzewuski*Mr. Zeferino SanchezMr. Bruce SchreiderMs. Shelby SellersMr. William SermonsMs. Susie ShieldsMs. Norma ShupeMs. Auriele SoltiszMs. Kristen SommersMr. Ashok SrinivasanMs. Chelsea ThomasMr. Darrell ThompsonDr. Lawrence ThompsonMs. Michelle van DeventerMr. Robert VictorinMr. Andreas WagnerMr. Larry Wallace*Wellmed Network of FloridaMr. Kenneth WhiteMs. Heidi WhiteMs. Vicki WilliamsMr. Chris WynnMr. Robert B. YoungMs. Anne Young

IN-KIND DONORSMr. Carlos & Mr. Albert Alfonso+American Shark Conservancy+Ms. Kathy Barco & Mr. Doug Jossim+Super Bowl LIV Chairman Rodney Barreto+Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's+Busch Gardens Tampa Bay+Capital Grille+Mr. Carey Chen+Cheney Brothers, Inc.+Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)+Mr. Richard A. & Mrs. Cornelia C. Corbett+Deep Ledge+Mr. Craig Dietrich+Ducks Unlimited+EVO Italian

Fishing Headquarters+Flor de Caña+Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission+Force-E Scuba Centers+Gilchrist Club+Gray FishTag Research+Helter Skeletons and Apparel+ Hog Snappers+Mrs. Sonia & Mr. Paul T. Jones+Jupiter Dive Center+Key West Marriott Beachside Resort+Ms. Kimberly Knobbe+ Ladies, Let's Go Fishing!/Africa Maximum Safari+ Little Moir's Food Shack+Loggerhead Marinelife Center+Mr. Alan Maltz+Native Visions Galleries+Mrs. Barabara and Mr. Jack Nicklaus+Mr. Michael Patrick O'Neill+Ocean Properties+ The Palm Beach Yacht Club+Pelagic Gear+Mr. John Pope+Mr. Michel Sabourin+Mr. K.C. Scott+The Scuba Club+Scuba Works+Mr. Geoffrey C Smith+Square Grouper Tiki Bar+Stuart Scuba+Chef Allen Susser+Sweet Endings Desserts+Total Wine & More+Trickey JennusWhite Oak Conservation, Inc.+World of Beer+Ximena Kavalekas, Inc.+

THIS REPORT WAS DESIGNED BY TRICKEY JENNUS

OUR SUPPORTERSOUR SUPPORTERS 4645 *RECURRING DONORS +A NIGHT FOR NATURE DONORS

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Andreas Wagner and his family started visiting Florida 20 years ago from Bavaria. They particularly enjoyed fishing, marveling at the abundance of life in the state’s waters. Andreas was struck by

big predators like alligators and bull sharks that are not found in Europe. The wilds of the state hooked them, and they continued to return year after year. Andreas became a donor to the Foundation’s Restoring Our Reefs fund to protect the natural wonders in our waters, especially the reefs. Florida’s Coral Reef is the cornerstone of biodiversity and health in our oceans, and Andreas is committed to supporting their restoration. “FLORIDA HAS MANY THINGS TO OFFER, BUT THE MAIN ATTRACTION FOR ME ARE THE REEFS, THE MANGROVES, THE SEA GRASS FLATS, AND ALL THE ANIMALS THAT ARE LIVING THERE,” HE SAID. “WITHOUT THEM, FLORIDA IS ANOTHER WARM AND SUNNY PLACE TO SPEND THE WINTER, BUT NOTHING SPECIAL.”

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

A NIGHT FOR NATURE CONTINUESA Night for Nature, our recurring celebration for conservation, was postponed in April 2020 due to the pandemic. The Foundation held an

online auction in the fall and a small, Covid-cautious gala in Jupiter on Friday, April 9, 2021. The evening honored the lifetime conservation efforts of Jack Nicklaus and Paul Tudor Jones II. Contender Boats and CEO Joe Neber were honored as Corporate Partner of the Year. Our sincere thanks to our planning Committee, our event sponsors, and auction donors for making A Night for Nature a record-breaking success.

PHOTO TO COME

OUR SUPPORTERS

Florida black bear(Ursus americanus floridanus)

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ANNUALLY WE RECOGNIZE SEVERAL OF THE MOST DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE FOLLOWING AWARDS.

LOUISE IRELAND HUMPHREY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD : COLONEL CURTIS BROWN

The Foundation annually honors the late conservationist and former Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission Member Louise Ireland Humphrey by recognizing a FWC employee for their dedication

to the protection of Florida’s wildlife over the course of their career. The 2020 awardee was Colonel Curtis Brown, Director of FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement. Col. Brown began his career in 1991 in Hendry County. He earned the Officer of the Year Award, worked on covert operations, and inspired the passage of the Kelly Johnson Act, which tightened restrictions on boating and drinking. As Director of Law Enforcement, he has been a strong advocate for boating safety, working with the legislature on establishing laws to help protect the lives of Florida boaters. He is also dedicated to developing the next generation of conservation leaders within FWC Law Enforcement through professional development.

RODNEY BARRETO FWC EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD : GLENDA ATKINSON

The Foundation also recognizes outstanding annual performance via the Rodney Barreto FWC Employee of the Year Award, named in honor of the current FWC Commissioner and former

Foundation Board Member. The 2020 awardee was FWC Chief Information Officer Glenda Atkinson. She is known for her success at improving efficiency within her department, but she outdid herself in 2020, planning the relocation of multiple staff with minimal disruption early in the year. And when the pandemic rapidly forced employees to work from home, she was a trailblazer in ensuring business as usual. Thanks to her, FWC resources remained available to staff, and communications with the public continued uninterrupted throughout the lockdown.

CORPORATE CONSERVATION PARTNER OF THE YEAR : CONTENDER BOATS

The Foundation also recognizes organizations for their outstanding contribution and leadership in conservation. 2020’s winner was Contender Boats, a long-time supporter

of the Foundation. Contender Boats, founded and run by Joe Neber, sets the bar not only in boat manufacturing but also philanthropy. Neber and Contender have been a leading voice for boating, conservation, and recreational fishing on Capitol Hill, while long supporting conservation initiatives and organizations in Florida, like us and the Coastal Conservation Association.

AWARDS

Burrowing owl(Athene cunicularia)

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8%

18%

14%

18%

40%

2% 0%

SOURCEEndangered Species Mitigation

Program Fees and Services

Philanthropic Giving

Investments

License Plates

Government Grants

In-Kind

REVENUE5,089,136

2,291,235

1,792,380

2,270,162

1,036,510

248,805

40,402

2020 REVENUE BY SOURCE

CATEGORYProgram

Administration

Fundraising

EXPENSE6,023,110

569,719

94,839

2020 PROGRAM EXPENSE BY CATEGORY

2020 PROGRAMMATIC EFFICIENCY9%

90%

1%

CATEGORYConserving Wildlife

Combatting Invasives

Preserving Our Outdoor Heritage

Getting Kids Back to Nature

Restoring Our Reefs

EXPENSE2,852,907

177,239

2,213,563

477,563

301,838

47%

3%

37%

5%8%

FINANCES

Southern fox squirrel(Sciurus niger)

BACK COVER

CONSERVING NATURE AND OUR OUTDOOR HERITAGEHELP SUPPORT OUR WORK BY DONATING TO THE FOUNDATION, BUYING A LICENSE PLATE, OR VOLUNTEERING. MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WILDLIFEFLORIDA.ORG.

P.O. Box 11010 | Tallahassee, FL 32302100 Eighth Avenue SE | St. Petersburg, FL 33701 | 850.922.1066 | 800.988.4889 | [email protected]

Proud Citizen Support Organization for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION OF FLORIDA | IMPACT REPORT …

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